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In China and India, where governments are investing more in RD&D
than other emerging economies, the private sector is also more heavily
involved in RD&D. These two countries are starting to reap benefits
from decades of investments in education, research infrastructure,
and manufacturing capacity. China and India are already playing
leading roles in developing, manufacturing, deploying, and exporting
(including to OECD countries) clean energy technologies such as solar
panels and wind turbines technologies.
Figure 1.6 Clean Energy Patents Filed by Inventor’s Country of Residence (1993–2008)
Source: IEA (2013)
Emerging economies could leapfrog towards a competitive, low carbon
economy not only by applying technology developed elsewhere but
also through domestic innovation. Despite the increase in RD&D
spending by emerging economies, however, OECD countries hold
an overwhelming majority of patents in all categories of clean energy
technology, led by Japan, the United States and Germany, followed by
Korea (which has had exceptionally high growth rates in recent years),
the United Kingdom and France (Figure 1.6). While patents are a useful
indicator of product and process innovation, they do not capture the
entire landscape of innovation and knowledge protection. Intellectual
property protection mechanisms include other ways of protecting
innovations, such as copyrights and trademarks.
Patent data also shows that emerging economies like China, India,
and South Africa are becoming increasingly active. China, in particular,
has been catching up in the last few years in several clean energy
technologies (except carbon capture), although it is possible that many
patent filings are made by the Chinese subsidiaries of multinational
enterprises (Ma et al. 2009).
50 Low Carbon Development in China and India
than other emerging economies, the private sector is also more heavily
involved in RD&D. These two countries are starting to reap benefits
from decades of investments in education, research infrastructure,
and manufacturing capacity. China and India are already playing
leading roles in developing, manufacturing, deploying, and exporting
(including to OECD countries) clean energy technologies such as solar
panels and wind turbines technologies.
Figure 1.6 Clean Energy Patents Filed by Inventor’s Country of Residence (1993–2008)
Source: IEA (2013)
Emerging economies could leapfrog towards a competitive, low carbon
economy not only by applying technology developed elsewhere but
also through domestic innovation. Despite the increase in RD&D
spending by emerging economies, however, OECD countries hold
an overwhelming majority of patents in all categories of clean energy
technology, led by Japan, the United States and Germany, followed by
Korea (which has had exceptionally high growth rates in recent years),
the United Kingdom and France (Figure 1.6). While patents are a useful
indicator of product and process innovation, they do not capture the
entire landscape of innovation and knowledge protection. Intellectual
property protection mechanisms include other ways of protecting
innovations, such as copyrights and trademarks.
Patent data also shows that emerging economies like China, India,
and South Africa are becoming increasingly active. China, in particular,
has been catching up in the last few years in several clean energy
technologies (except carbon capture), although it is possible that many
patent filings are made by the Chinese subsidiaries of multinational
enterprises (Ma et al. 2009).
50 Low Carbon Development in China and India
